Numerous styles of miniature flashlights have enjoyed considerable commercial success due to their compactness, utility and reliability. In general, these miniature flashlights are designed to be carried in a purse, pocket or briefcase. Such flashlights may either be disposable or have replaceable batteries and lamps.
In general, disposable flashlights of this type contain two triple AAA batteries which are alternatingly configured within a plastic casing. A container or holder typically comprising two parallel extending concave tubes or cradles secures and maintains the relative position of the batteries. The circuit between the two batteries is open. An activator or switch mechanism, activated by pressure on the plastic outer casing, closes the circuit between the batteries and activates the electric light. When the pressure is released, the circuit is broken and the light turns off.
Of particular importance to the reliability of such flashlights is their ability to light and activate upon the application of pressure at any portion of the enclosing resilient plastic case. The reliability of miniature flashlights is extremely important because they are usually called upon to operate, for example, when a person is hurriedly searching for a key hole during evening hours or a power failure.
There are numerous prior art activators for activating disposable flashlights. The prior art is characterized largely by flashlights having diagonally extending metal activators or wires which are attached to the positive terminal of a first battery, and which upon depression of the outer casing, complete a circuit by contacting the negative terminal of the second battery. The batteries disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,419,718; 4,644,451; and 4,628,418 exemplify this design.
Activators such as those disclosed in these patents have several disadvantages. Most notably, they have small surface areas and must therefore be depressed from a central or specific location on the outer casing or jacket. If the outer casing is not depressed at the central or specific location, the activator will not complete the circuit and the flashlight will not light. In addition, activators having this design are typically pre-bent so as to avoid shorting out of the first battery and so as to further maintain the integrity of the switching mechanism. This pre-bending often results in reduced resiliency and a reduced useful life.
Activators having this design also typically utilize the internal plastic battery holding container as a fulcrum. Because of the small surface area and mass of the activator, they can easily lose their resiliency and fail to activate, or, alternatively, may activate upon the application of very little pressure. Thus, the light might be activated by the pressure of a closed handbag or carrying case, thereby exhausting the batteries without the knowledge of the user. In addition, wire contacts such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,718 can break after extended use. Finally, disposable flashlights are often distributed or sold for promotional purposes. Such flashlights contain cardboard sleeves within a transparent hollow casing. Such sleeves may also distort operation and cause flashlight malfunction.
It would be desirable to have a disposable flashlight which could be activated from any portion of an enclosing plastic jacket.
It would further be desirable to have a disposable flashlight having a resilient metal activator which does not have to be pre-bent or activated with respect to a fulcrum and will not lose its resiliency after extended use.
It would be further desirable to have a disposable flashlight having an activator of sufficient strength and resiliency such that it will not break off after extended use.
A principal objective of the present invention then is to provide a disposable flashlight having an activator which can be depressed from any section of the plastic outer casing.
A further objective of the invention is to provide a flashlight having a resilient cartridge-type holder for the accommodation of a pair of batteries, a lamp and electric circuitry for the the illumination of the lamp capable of being switch activated by a compressive holding action of the cartridge.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a flashlight having a single flat depressible connector which can be reliably activated from any section of its outer casing while not losing its resiliency over time.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable flashlight which will minimize the possibility of shorting.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable flashlight in which the activator will not break off after extended use.
A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a disposable flashlight which will reliably operate when used with cardboard advertising copy.